Players

Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV) appear to be making another push into the spotlight as Westport Innovations Inc. and BC Gas Inc. reported last Thursday that their BCG eFuels Inc. joint venture has merged with Seal Beach, CA-based Pickens Fuel Corp. (PFC) to form the largest natural gas fuels provider for NGVs in North America.

Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV) appear to be making another push into the spotlight as Westport Innovations Inc. and BC Gas Inc. reported on Thursday that their BCG eFuels Inc. joint venture has merged with Seal Beach, CA-based Pickens Fuel Corp. (PFC) to form the largest natural gas fuels provider for NGVs in North America.

Several key players in the energy industry last Monday said that the odds favor Congress being able to get a comprehensive energy bill on President Bush’s desk for his signature by the end of this year. But at least one participant in a Washington, D.C., press briefing on the Bush administration’s new national energy policy argued that the real question is whether such legislation will truly help to solve the nation’s energy crisis or instead will prove to be little more than window dressing designed to boost the fortunes of politicians back home.

Several key players in the energy industry yesterday said that the odds favor Congress being able to get a comprehensive energy bill on President Bush’s desk for his signature by the end of this year. But at least one participant in a Washington, DC, press briefing on the Bush administration’s new national energy policy argued that the real question is whether such legislation will truly help to solve the nation’s energy crisis or instead will prove to be little more than window dressing designed to boost the fortunes of politicians back home.

Consolidation hasn’t stopped and, in fact, will play a big rolein the future for both large and small players in the oil and gasindustry, said David Moore, a strategic practices consultant forAndersen Consulting.

Consolidation hasn’t stopped and, in fact, will play a big rolein the future for both large and small players in the oil and gasindustry, said David Moore, a strategic practices consultant forAndersen Consulting.

The diversified energy group has seen a “profound change in its market perception,” with players growing faster than ever before, benefiting from the deregulated power industry, expansion in telecommunications and bandwidth trading and emerging technologies, according to Dain Rauscher Wessels’ analyst Mark Easterbrook.

The diversified energy group has seen a “profound change in itsmarket perception,” with players growing faster than ever before,benefiting from the deregulated power industry, expansion intelecommunications and bandwidth trading and emerging technologies,according to Dain Rauscher Wessels’ analyst Mark Easterbrook.

In the wake of California’s latest round of electricity priceand supply shock concentrated in San Diego, some of the state’smajor energy industry participants have raised the level ofinterest in forward markets and hedging. San Diego Gas and ElectricCo., in particular, has been second guessed about why it did notuse available hedging instruments through the state’s nonprofitpower exchange to help ease the impact of recent wholesale pricespikes on its retail customers.